Tax Time

by | Apr 9, 2013 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

tax day photoApril 15th, the dreaded tax day, is right around the corner.  If you haven’t already bought your TurboTax or dropped off your receipts to the CPA…you are behind the 8-ball.  Really. This week is all the time you have left to complete the countless forms until your eyes glaze over unless you file an extension.

YUCK!

Two things come to mind when I think of doing our taxes 1) procrastination, and 2) greed.

As a Christian, I should be well aware that my time is limited and precious.  But, oh no!  I have to push the important things off until I am under the gun and sweating bullets before I will take the first step! What is wrong with me?

I should have a better handle on managing my time and most importantly, putting God in charge of my calendar.

Might sound strange, but asking God daily what I should be doing and having Him prioritize the activities would alleviate the procrastination problem.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17

WOW.  Pretty powerful stuff.

I’m always amazed at how much better I feel when I get the hard things done first.  Plus, they never feel like they were that difficult after it’s all said and done.  Hm. Maybe procrastinating isn’t such a good idea after all!!

Now the greed part gets a little dicier. Because who really wants to pay taxes?  Not me.  For sure.

Most of us make our money (okay, so maybe I just watch my husband’s paycheck hit the bank), and we think it’s ours.  Then we look at the federal, state, social security and Medicare withholdings and we want to faint.

On top of that, we should tithe.  Oh my…that check is looking smaller and smaller.

The thing to keep in mind is that we should be joyful about paying taxes to our free government and tithing to a God who is providing it for us in the first place.

And for all of the naysayers about whether the government or church is using your money the way you would want…keep in mind…asking God to be in charge of the money is the best fix.  Trusting God to manage His money the way He sees fit will release us from worry and aggravation.

A friend’s mother said it best, “It’s my job to give to the needy, it’s God’s job to take it from there.”

How true!!!

Taxes are the same way.  I’ve spent much time frustrated over how much we pay and what the government is doing with it and I’ve forgotten to trust God to provide for me and my family tomorrow, as He has done today and yesterday!!

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4

Planning ahead and managing our greed are the best ways to sail through Tax Day.

Planning will prepare us for whatever the verdict is (refund or payment) and thanking God for allowing us to live in a free country will grant us contentment only He can give.

With these tools April 15th isn’t looking so bad…especially, when I remember who is in charge!

Some Wisdom for Today:  Proverbs 13:4 – The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

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